3 Easy Steps: How Service-Based Small Business Entrepreneurs Can Avoid Burnout In The New Normal

Does going out to your favorite coffee shop— on your way to work seem like a distant memory?

It sure does for a lot of us. But, with regulations easing in some states, the situation is changing faster than anticipated, and while there’s some debate, for most small business entrepreneurs it’s good news.

Yes, after months of lockdown, for some it’s time to get back to business, service your clients and generate revenue.

But here’s the thing…

Unless you have a bullet proof plan, you’d burn out before you know it.

It’s true. The pandemic has turned the way you’ll do business, upside-down—businesses have pivoted, policies and operational changes have come into play and fresh challenges are cropping up with each passing day.

You know what that means? It means you’ll be spending a LOT MORE time, energy and resources on managing and generating revenue for your business, than you did before.

And it will have its consequences…  

If you burnout, you aren’t going to be your best self and you’d end up compromising the experience for your clients.

It’s the last thing you want to do especially when the number of clients visiting your spa, salon, barbershop or wellness business are reduced anyway, right?

So how do you cope with burnout and adapt to the new normal when you reopen?

Enter: A 3-step action plan.

Read along as we share tips on minimizing burnout so that you can avoid it and take a confident step when you reopen.

Read along…

Reduce decision fatigue by thinking ahead: Step 1 to Avoid Burnout in the New Normal 

We all have different methods of coping with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, in small and large ways because it’s… a lot.

This is all very hard. In the last couple of weeks and months, we’ve experienced collective feelings of despair, hope, whiplash, fear, grief, boredom, anxiety, regret, and sometimes even excitement.

During this period of increased stress on our minds and bodies, you are busy making a lot of decisions—should I reopen or shouldn’t I reopen? Do I get all my staff back or only a handful? Should I apply for the government grant or wait some more time?

Phew! That’s a lot of decision making and it can really lead to bad decisions, if you aren’t careful.

But the one thing that will help you to get back to business, without the overwhelm or decision fatigue is thinking ahead.

By having a process of making decisions—such as simple pros & cons— you can reduce stress and get on track faster. To explain this better, let’s look at this as an example. Let’s assume that you’re prepared for a dip in bookings when you reopen your beauty salon.

In an otherwise scenario you would have panicked seeing less client bookings, but because you’ve thought about this as a possibility, instead of losing your mind agonizing over a situation or overthinking it, you continue to generate more revenue for your business through your online store, virtual sessions or even during home visits.

That’s just one example, but for now you can brainstorm all these scenarios and create a plan of action and more often than not you’ll see a better response.  

Plan your reopening strategy: Step 2 to Avoid Burnout in the New Normal 

The impact of this pandemic and how you’ll do business probably isn’t changing anytime soon. That’s why you need to adapt now in order to make a positive impact on your bottom line for the months to come.

Per step 1, you’ve already made a list of various scenarios that you may face, but you still need a concrete plan for when you reopen.

And that’s why it is important that you address some pressing questions, which, in turn will give you insights into your preparedness & planning. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How can I ensure smooth bookings despite time spent on sanitization and cleaning? 
• Will I be able to accept new clients or limit scheduling new ones? 
• What are some of the ways in which I can make announcements about my policies and pricing? 
• What safety precautions will make my clients and staff the most comfortable?  

Working on a plan can be a tedious process, and answering questions like the ones above a little more. That’s why we’ve created a COVID Business Health, Revenue & Safety Health Check, to help you take the right steps and *reopen* your business you with confidence.

Make adjustments: Step 3 to Avoid Burnout in the New Normal 

Now that you’ve prepared yourself for possibilities and have chalked out a reopening plan, it’s time to get ready to make adjustments.

At times we’re fixated on how we move forward and that mindset could be your worst enemy at this time.

Here are a few things to consider:

Client experience

From the very beginning, we’ve advocated the importance of client experiences—stuff that makes a client’s visit to your spa, salon, wellness business or barbershop memorable. It’s during this time that it matters the most.

Sure you can’t offer them the regular beverage, but there are still ways in which you can elevate the experience for them—invest time in a friendly chat, share experiences, offer sample products, and so on. Simply think outside the box and you’ll see plenty of opportunities to impress your client.

Pricing

Should I increase my prices or shouldn’t I increase my prices when I reopen? Well the service based industry is divided on what should be the best foot forward at this time. While many want (and already have) increased their prices, you need to do what’s best for your business and your clients.

And while you’re at it, don’t forget the end goal is to increase revenue and ‘increasing the prices of your services’ is just one way to do it.

Here are our favorite tips to consider by Lauren Gartland, Founder & President of Inspiring Champions, and Steve Gomez—Salon Business Coach.

1. Clarify your income goals: Get clarity on your income goal and figure out how much you need to make each day to hit it. Lauren Gartland, states that this is one of the most important steps in achieving your targets.

“Let’s say you want to make $8,000 a month. If you run the numbers, then you’ll see that $8,000 in monthly sales amounts to $2,000 per week. And if you work 5 days a week, then it means that your daily goal is $400. Armed with this info you can make adjustments and make better decisions.”  

2. Offer multiple services: Another tip by Lauren is to offer multiple services. Here’s what she advices:

“Let’s say you charge $50 for a haircut and $80 for hair coloring. If you stick to a single service (haircut), then you’d need to book 4 clients to earn $200. But if you manage to get your clients to book 2 services (cut + color) then you stand to earn more money from fewer clients.”

3. Sell Gift Cards- If you’re a Booksy client, gift cards or gift certificates as we like to call them are not a new feature. In a time of pandemic, gift certificates can help you add to your revenue. However as Steve advises you should have a plan around it.  

“For starters, strive to market your gift cards every month, instead of  just making them a seasonal initiative.If I end up making some money with a redemption rate, then good. If not, I’m looking to make the money with long-term client retention.”

Make changes and book better

You may have been using a pen and paper method of booking clients for your barbershop, beauty salon or even spa and wellness business till now…it may have worked in the past, but with added challenges weighing you down, it may not be the best foot forward.

It may be a wise step to step away from the old obsolete methods and consider an online booking software that helps you minimize stress and reduce burn out when you do reopen.

On the flipside, if you’ve been using an online booking system like Booksy, it’s time that you start seeing it as more than just an appointment booking tool. In simple words, it’s time that you unleash features that will help you boost your revenue and minimize risks—gift certificates, buffer time, announcements, POS discounts…quite frankly the ways in which you can use Booksy during this pandemic is endless.

Breaking Down Barriers: Adapting to New Normal  

With things changing all around us, we are all adapting, navigating and making the most of the new normal, aren’t we?

We’ve said it earlier, but we’ll say it again— whether you’ve reopened or are preparing to reopen your salon, spa or barbershop, things aren’t going to be the way they used to be in this ‘new normal.’

In a nutshell, tons of things would have changed and you may not be able to manage your business like you used to. That’s why you need a strategic system to support your clients through this crisis to prevent burn out.

Don’t you want to take a confident first step to the road to recovery without the stress?  

We hope that’s a yes. And if you’re looking for a personalized plan to help you sail through, try our COVID Business Health, Revenue & Safety Health Check. Get a personalized plan that will help make more money, book more clients and prepare you, your staff and your clients for re-opening without compromising their safety.